Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31243

Stuck on a clue in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31243? Every clue is solved below with the definition, wordplay, and answer explained — plus hints for the tricks that catch most solvers out.

Across

1A — Started to grin, with idea developing (10)ORIGINATED

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Started' — The definition of the answer is 'Started'.
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'developing'
  • Operation
    'developing' signals a anagram operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'to grin, idea'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'to' → TO
  • Assembly
    TO + GRIN + IDEA > TOGRINIDEA = ORIGINATED

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6A — Feeling low with onset of depression (4)MOOD

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Feeling' — The definition of the answer is 'Feeling'.
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'onset of'
  • Operation
    'onset of' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'depression'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'low' → MOO
  • Assembly
    MOO + D = MOOD

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10A — Plenty of beer swallowed by politician? On the contrary (5)AMPLE

  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'swallowed'
  • Operation
    'swallowed' signals a container operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'beer politician?'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'beer' → ALE
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'politician?' → MP
  • Assembly
    ALE + MP = A(MP)LE

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11A — Removes copies returned by judges (9)SEPARATES

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Removes'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'returned'
  • Operation
    'returned' signals a reversal operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'copies'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'copies' → APES
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'judges' → RATES
  • Assembly
    (APES > SEPA) + RATES = SEPARATES

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12A — Squeeze sandwiches hospital department gives out (8)PRESENTS

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'gives out' — What do you give out?
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'sandwiches'
  • Operation
    'sandwiches' signals a container operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Squeeze hospital department'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Squeeze' → PRESS
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'hospital department' → ENT
  • Assembly
    PRESS + ENT = PRES(ENT)S

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13A — Smack rear in flamenco dance (5)TANGO

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'dance'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'rear'
  • Operation
    'rear' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'flamenco'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Smack' → TANG
  • Assembly
    TANG + O = TANGO

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15A — See each lake during hike (7)REALISE

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'See'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'during'
  • Operation
    'during' signals a container operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'each lake hike'
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'each' → EA
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'lake' → L
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'hike' → RISE
  • Assembly
    EA + L + RISE = R(EAL)ISE

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17A — State education rejected by Bordeaux, nearly (7)DECLARE

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'State'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'rejected'
  • Operation
    'rejected' signals a reversal operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'education'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'nearly'
  • Operation
    'nearly' signals a deletion operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Bordeaux,'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'education' → ED
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Bordeaux,' → CLARET
  • Assembly
    (ED > DE) + (CLARET - T > CLARE) = DECLARE

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19A — Residents name a town in Cornwall? Not at first (7)NATIVES

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Residents'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'Not at first'
  • Operation
    'Not at first' signals a deletion operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'town in Cornwall?'
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'name' → N
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'town in Cornwall?' → ST IVES
  • Assembly
    N + A + (STIVES - S > TIVES) = NATIVES

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21A — Let off religious education student? No problem (7)RELEASE

  • Wordplay
    Wordplay: Charade
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'religious education' → RE
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'student?' → L
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'No problem' → EASE
  • Assembly
    RE + L + EASE = RELEASE

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22A — Meat – try half of it (5)HEART

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Meat'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'half of'
  • Operation
    'half of' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'it'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'try' → HEAR
  • Assembly
    HEAR + T = HEART

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24A — Deletes broadcast covering Conservative getting appointed (8)SELECTED

  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'broadcast'
  • Operation
    'broadcast' signals a anagram operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Deletes Conservative'
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'Conservative' → C
  • Assembly
    C > DELETESC = SELECTED

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27A — Loathsome, rotten, broody leader is dismissed (9)OFFENSIVE

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Loathsome,'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'leader is dismissed'
  • Operation
    'leader is dismissed' signals a deletion operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'broody'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'rotten,' → OFF
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'broody' → PENSIVE
  • Assembly
    OFF + (PENSIVE - P > ENSIVE) = OFFENSIVE

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28A — Open six deliveries, not just the last (5)OVERT

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Open'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'the last'
  • Operation
    'the last' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'just'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'six deliveries,' → OVER
  • Assembly
    OVER + T = OVERT

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29A — Cornish river levels initially drop (4)FALL

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'drop'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'initially'
  • Operation
    'initially' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'levels'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Cornish river' → FAL
  • Assembly
    FAL + L = FALL

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30A — Fascinated teens tried dancing (10)INTERESTED

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Fascinated'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'dancing'
  • Operation
    'dancing' signals a anagram operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'teens tried'
  • Assembly
    TEENSTRIED = INTERESTED

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Down

1D — Caesar perhaps heading off for monarchy in the Middle East (4)OMAN

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'monarchy in the Middle East'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'heading'
  • Operation
    'heading' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'off'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Caesar' → MAN
  • Assembly
    MAN + O = OMAN

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2D — Vital ship in an entrepot, finally (9)IMPORTANT

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Vital'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'finally'
  • Operation
    'finally' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'entrepot,'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'ship in' → IMPORT
  • Assembly
    IMPORT + AN + T = IMPORTANT

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3D — Pyramid easily restricts views (5)IDEAS

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'views'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'restricts'
  • Operation
    'restricts' signals a hidden_word operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Pyramid easily'
  • Assembly
    IDEAS = IDEAS

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4D — Want stomach muscles, Lawrence? Not half! (7)ABSENCE

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Want' — Want someone is missing them because they are ....
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'half!'
  • Operation
    'half!' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Lawrence?'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'stomach muscles,' → ABS
  • Assembly
    ABS + ENCE = ABSENCE

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5D — Former model with diamonds unmasked (7)EXPOSED

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'unmasked'
  • Wordplay
    Wordplay: Charade
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'Former' → EX
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'model' → POSE
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'diamonds' → D
  • Assembly
    EX + POSE + D = EXPOSED

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7D — Old female goes on X frequently (5)OFTEN

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'frequently'
  • Wordplay
    Wordplay: Charade
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'Old' → O
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'female' → F
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'X' → TEN
  • Assembly
    O + F + TEN = OFTEN

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8D — Found out Detective Inspector's hidden (10)DISCOVERED

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Found'
  • Wordplay
    Wordplay: Charade
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'Detective Inspector's' → DI
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'hidden' → COVERED
  • Assembly
    DI + S + COVERED = DISCOVERED

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9D — Nit-picking of great consequence (8)CRITICAL

  • Wordplay
    Wordplay: Double definition
  • Assembly
    CRITICAL = CRITICAL

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14D — Nice bread or flan? Chef's confused (6,4)FRENCH LOAF

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'Nice bread'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'confused'
  • Operation
    'confused' signals a anagram operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'or flan? Chef's'
  • Assembly
    ORFLANCHEFS = FRENCHLOAF

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16D — Arousing Victor instead of Charlie is tempting (8)INVITING

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'tempting'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'instead'
  • Operation
    'instead' signals a substitution operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Victor Charlie'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Arousing' → INCITING
  • Assembly
    INCITING - C + V = INVITING

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18D — See Batman's awful humiliation (9)ABASEMENT

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'humiliation'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'awful'
  • Operation
    'awful' signals a anagram operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'See Batman's'
  • Assembly
    SEEBATMANS = ABASEMENT

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20D — Sounds picked up around end of business meeting (7)SESSION

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'meeting'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'picked up'
  • Operation
    'picked up' signals a reversal operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Sounds'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'end'
  • Operation
    'end' signals a letter_selection operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'business'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'around'
  • Operation
    'around' signals a container operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Sounds business'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Sounds' → NOISES
  • Assembly
    (NOISES > SESION) + S = SES(S)ION

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21D — Always upset about priest's excuse (7)RELIEVE

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'excuse'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'upset'
  • Operation
    'upset' signals a reversal operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Always'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'about'
  • Operation
    'about' signals a container operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Always priest's'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Always' → EVER
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'priest's' → ELI
  • Assembly
    (EVER > REVE) + ELI = R(ELI)EVE

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23D — Just removing large pants (5)AWFUL

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'pants' — British slang. "The weather today is pants."
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'removing'
  • Operation
    'removing' signals a deletion operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Just large'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Just' → LAWFUL
  • Abbreviation
    Abbreviations spotted: 'large' → L
  • Assembly
    LAWFUL + L > LAWFUL - L = AWFUL

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25D — Wardrobe almost shut (5)CLOSE

  • Definition
    Definition found: 'shut'
  • Indicator
    Indicator found: 'almost'
  • Operation
    'almost' signals a deletion operation
  • Fodder
    Fodder: 'Wardrobe'
  • Synonym
    Synonyms spotted: 'Wardrobe' → CLOSET
  • Assembly
    CLOSET - T = CLOSE

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26D — Physically attractive male boss (4)STUD

  • Wordplay
    Wordplay: Double definition
  • Assembly
    STUD = STUD

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